Zhiyun Weebill S 3-Axis Gimbal Assessment

A gimbal is among the best instruments any videographer can use to open up a variety of potential pictures so as to add to their filmmaking repertoire.

As a panorama photographer and videographer, I depend on the flexibility and pace a gimbal affords me for shortly creating easy monitoring and panning pictures to disclose beautiful areas.

With the Zhiyun Weebill S 3-axis gimbal, these pictures could be pulled off with minimal fuss utilizing light-weight cameras and a spread of high-quality lenses.

On this Zhiyun Weebill S 3-axis gimbal assessment, I’ll give a full breakdown of the construct high quality and numerous modes you should utilize to take your filmmaking strategies in new instructions.

Let’s see if it’s the most effective gimbal to your digital camera this yr.

Zhiyun Weebill S 3-Axis Gimbal Specs

Construct High quality

The Zhiyun Weebill S gimbal delivers glorious construct high quality contemplating the worth level. The gimbal arms and motor surrounds are strong metallic and it has a strong plastic physique.

Whereas the axis locks can typically be a bit of on the fiddly aspect to each lock and unlock, the general development is nicely put collectively and feels sturdy to deal with.

On the similar time, it’s a light-weight gimbal that may match neatly in a comparatively small rucksack when set to its storage place, making it an excellent transportable gimbal for advert hoc filming.

Calibrating a digital camera on the Zhiyun Weebill S takes a bit of getting used to, however fine-tuning changes on the quick-release plate turns into second nature after a couple of occasions setting it up.

The controls of the gimbal are all responsive, with a monochrome show for the choices and a scroll wheel that can be utilized to regulate focus and zoom.

Other than the difficulty with the sometimes awkward locks, the Zhiyun Weebill S is a well-constructed gimbal which you could confidently use an costly mirrorless or DSLR digital camera with.

Dimension & Dealing with

Dealing with on this Zhiyun gimbal is straightforward and the buttons are well-positioned. 

With the unit weighing in at 895g, the Zhiyun Weebill S isn’t so heavy that it turns into uncomfortable to carry over longer intervals of time, considering the approximate weight when an acceptable digital camera and lens are mounted.

The deal with and controls really feel agency when gripped, whereas the buttons are positioned the place they are often simply accessed. You’ll discover a set off and management wheel the place the forefinger and thumb respectively can simply entry them.

As soon as the gimbal has been activated, it glides effortlessly, with robust and responsive motors retaining the digital camera oriented as meant.

The choice to fine-tune the energy of the motors throughout every axis is a necessary characteristic. This lets you be sure your digital camera pans and tilt and roll axes are on the appropriate pace.

It’s constructed round an L-shaped deal with and physique, with the choice to open up the deal with to put the gimbal down on a tripod, in addition to arrange and stability the digital camera and lens combo earlier than you boot it up.

You may also use the tripod setup to regulate the gimbal remotely, shifting the roll axis and tilt axis through the Zhiyun Weebill S cell app and utilizing your cellphone display screen to watch the footage.

The deal with will also be repositioned for use in underslung mode, so you’ll be able to obtain these low-tracking pictures over the bottom with out having to stroll in a crouching place.

Most significantly, when you’ve performed with the motor energy changes to tailor them to your pictures, the Zhiyun Weebil S gimbal delivers the sleek footage it’s meant to create in all capturing modes.

Learn extra: Zhiyun Clean 4 smartphone gimbal assessment

Gadget Options

The capturing controls on the Zhiyun Weebill S.

The Zhiyun Weebill S has a powerful number of digital camera management settings that enable you to realize a spread of pictures to your video content material.

In addition they let you customise efficiency to your digital camera setup.

When you’ve balanced your digital camera, you’ll be able to choose your digital camera’s model from the menu to sync it to the gimbal and likewise use the auto sync characteristic to make sure the motor capabilities are optimised.

These on-device controls, together with the aforementioned capability to change motor energy for completely easy movement, can all be accessed when utilizing the Zhiyun Weebill S utility.

Zhiyun Weebill S capturing modes

The gimbal presents quite a lot of capturing modes.

Gimbal modes out there embody pan observe mode, following mode, locking mode, perspective mode, vortex mode, and go mode, every of which has its personal button for fast entry.

Modes will also be activated by tapping particular buttons greater than as soon as. As an example, double urgent the set off will return the digital camera to its central place, whereas triple tapping the POV button will spin the digital camera round into selfie mode.

Utilizing vortex mode requires you to both level the digital camera forwards or change to underslung mode, and spin the digital camera clockwise or counter-clockwise by utilizing the small joystick beneath the monochrome show.

Whereas it might probably take a while to grow to be accustomed to all of the settings related to these options, that is extra on account of the number of modes than due to poor design decisions on the a part of Zhiyun.

Studying the most effective utility for every of those capturing modes doesn’t take lengthy, and some take a look at runs capturing footage in every mode will shortly display which of them are sensible for every sort of shot.

When you’ve decided which modes suit your capturing fashion and the way to transfer between them utilizing the controls, the Zhiyun Weebill S turns into nice enjoyable to make use of. You may unleash your creativity and experiment with completely different cinematography strategies.

One challenge with the Zhiyun Weebill S in sure capturing modes is the shortage of visibility of your digital camera’s display screen, though that is much less of a problem in case you’re utilizing a wide-angle lens along with your digital camera.

Utilizing the gimbal with a Sony A7 III and Sony 35mm prime lens, I discovered that checking the framing and distance from the topic earlier than hitting report created properly composed pictures with out the necessity to view the display screen.

You probably have the chance to rehearse pictures – for example, in case you’re making a brief movie – the gimbal’s many capturing modes could be put to nice use to provide cinematic digital camera motions.

Battery life and peripherals

The lengthy battery life – which lasts as much as 14 hours – means that you can hold the digital camera and gimbal working for lengthy takes, with the digital camera’s battery life extra more likely to be a problem than that of the gimbal.

With the choice to make use of the gimbal’s battery to energy sure digital camera fashions on the go, it additionally serves as a helpful backup energy supply for steady filming over an extended shoot.

There’s additionally a wide variety of peripherals you should utilize with the Zhiyun Weebill S gimbal for larger ease of use and shot choices, which could be picked up for cheap costs.

In addition to the choice to mount a cell phone to the aspect of the deal with, it may be fitted with a devoted monitor for distant viewing and a TransMount Picture Transmission module.

Zhiyun sells a whole TransMount Picture Transmission bundle that features a distant management along with the transmitter and receiver, so you’ll be able to monitor footage from a distance whereas a digital camera operator does the legwork. 

The choice so as to add a zoom and focus motor to regulate these parts on the digital camera through the gimbal means you’ll be able to additional optimize the Zhiyun Weebill S gimbal to push your abilities towards professional-level filmmaking.

Software program Options

Along with the vary of controls out there through the gimbal’s monochrome show, the Zhiyun Weebill S gimbal will also be managed through the free cell app.

All of the choices you’ll be able to entry on the gadget, together with motor energy on all axes, smoothness, deadbanding, and recording footage, could be set to the cell app for distant activation and adjustment.

The app is a bit of on the fundamental aspect and could be unresponsive, missing the extent of element and options present in a few of its rivals, however it serves its objective of providing fast entry to digital camera settings.

Alternate options

The Zhiyun Weebill S gimbal is a wonderful software for video content material creators and novice filmmakers working with small DSLR and mirrorless cameras, and the most effective in its worth vary.

You probably have a bit of extra finances to play with, the DJI Ronin-SC is a well-liked gimbal from a model recognized for its high-quality construct and optimized options, albeit with a barely chunkier design.

Videographers utilizing a lot bigger DSLR cameras and video cameras might want to take into account a bigger gimbal with the next weight threshold, such because the Zhiyun Crane 3S Professional. Nevertheless, anticipate to pay nearer to US$1,000.

The extra measurement and weight related to pro-level cameras makes them overkill for informal use however a needed improve for anybody who’s contemplating turning skilled.

Worth for Cash

The Zhiyun Weebill S is arguably one of many best-value gimbals available on the market, coming in at round US$330, with this worth ceaselessly discounted.

It presents professional-level options and performance together with the flexibility to deal with a variety of cameras and lenses for quite a lot of capturing necessities.

The assorted capturing modes open up the whole lot from exact object monitoring to the extra gimmicky vortex mode, giving the Zhiyun Weebill S an enormous quantity of longevity.

FAQ’s

I’ve coated all the important thing factors on this Zhiyun Weebill S assessment, however when you’ve got any uncertainties concerning the gimbal, the solutions to those ceaselessly requested questions ought to have it coated.

Is the Weebill S higher than the Ronin-SC?

The Weebill S gimbal is significantly smaller and extra transportable than the Ronin-SC, making it a more sensible choice for filmmakers who prioritise weight and flexibility of their tools.

It additionally options the power to detach the deal with and use it as a secondary deal with for different capturing modes and options an L-shaped design in comparison with the Ronin’s extra classical central column design.

Does the Weebill S have object monitoring?

Sure, when utilizing the Weebill S with the TransMount Picture Transmission module, it may be arrange for real-time monitoring and utilise exact object monitoring through SmartFollow 2.0.

To do that, merely choose the specified object in a field on the display screen, and the gimbal and digital camera will observe it when you report.

What’s the most payload of the Weebill S?

Regardless of its comparatively small measurement and construct, the Weebill S has a powerful whole payload, able to holding a most weight of three.5kg.

Zhiyun Weebill S Assessment | Conclusion

A gimbal is a wonderful approach to broaden your filmmaking palette with spectacular monitoring pictures and different strategies that may’t be completed in different methods.

The Zhiyun Weebill S is a budget-friendly gimbal that mixes a light-weight but sturdy design with relative ease of use on a variety of DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

With six capturing modes to discover, it comes extremely really useful as a feature-rich transportable gimbal for YouTubers and hobbyist filmmakers who wish to flex their videography abilities.